Zorloo Ztella

curlypaws

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Mar 16, 2011
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How can Zorloo manage to offer a direct Lightning interface, but Cyrus and AudioQuest apparently can't come up with anything better than asking you to use the clunky Apple Camera Kit gubbins to connect? As an iOS user, I'd be tempted by this DAC for that reason alone.
 
May 31, 2020
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I got both the MQA and the non-MQA versions. Build quality was not up to par. The connector for the 3.5mm headphone jack came off. The cylindrical metal piece that was glued to the wire dislodged. There were some static issues with sound cutting in and out. Sent emails to support multiple times. Never heard back. Purchase at your own risk.
 

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jbeclectic

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Jun 4, 2020
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How can Zorloo manage to offer a direct Lightning interface, but Cyrus and AudioQuest apparently can't come up with anything better than asking you to use the clunky Apple Camera Kit gubbins to connect? As an iOS user, I'd be tempted by this DAC for that reason alone.
Also have a look at the FiiO i1 - virtually identical to the Zorloo - but has been out much longer - Surprised WHF haven't spotted it!!
Anyway its a lightning 3.5mm DAC Amp - but not much of an amp. It comes in 2 cable lengths 7cm and I think about 80cm (much to long). Volume +/-, track skip etc on the 3.5mm socket.
Sounds good, relatively neutral I prefer it to the Apple or Belkin dongles costs about £40 - not the easiest thing to find - Advanced MP3 Players got one of mine.
 

mwe888

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Jul 8, 2020
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How can Zorloo manage to offer a direct Lightning interface, but Cyrus and AudioQuest apparently can't come up with anything better than asking you to use the clunky Apple Camera Kit gubbins to connect? As an iOS user, I'd be tempted by this DAC for that reason alone.

Zorloo doesn't offer a direct lightening interface. They supply a USB-C to lightening adapter pigtail. Also, they claim that headphone controls will still work, and phone calls can be passed through the Ztella. They cannot. Their tech support blames Apple stating they are limitations on the iPhone. However, Zorloo keeps advertising this functionality on their iPhone bundle page, knowing they cannot deliver.

On sound quality, I hear a lot of extra pops, crackles and interference compared to my Dragonfly USB dongle

About the only use I have for the Ztella is listening to music on my Bose noise cancelling earbuds while mowing the lawn. In such cases, it's a lot more convenient than the Dragonfly, which constantly pulls out of the phone, or loses connection at the lightning port. I was hoping for a more universal, albeit casual listening experience, when I'm away from my laptop or home audio system.

In all, I feel it's kind of expensive for what you get, but it does serve a very limited purpose, just not what I was hoping for...
 

Clint74

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Aug 6, 2020
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Zorloo doesn't offer a direct lightening interface. They supply a USB-C to lightening adapter pigtail. Also, they claim that headphone controls will still work, and phone calls can be passed through the Ztella. They cannot. Their tech support blames Apple stating they are limitations on the iPhone. However, Zorloo keeps advertising this functionality on their iPhone bundle page, knowing they cannot deliver.

Unfortunately I just found this out the hard way after purchasing the Ztella to use with 3.5 mm headphones with mic also for calls.
I wrote to the support and they answered me:

We are sorry that iPhone doesn't external USB-DAC for call function.

This is pure BS and close to beeing a scam...this is from their Kick starter page:

db9c97178b99fa0daf2ce8a435ce20ea_original.jpg

1adee1169bfc2a1ae628fdab18c66039_original.jpg

With Ztella, the mic and buttons on your connected headphone are fully supported and passed back to the phone or computer, so there is no need to change headsets for a call or for gaming.

I call this fraudalent.....

Also isn't the apple lightning adapter an external dac too? As all the lightning headphones on the market?

Very upset

I don't think I'll ever get my money back as I actually tried it when I first got it but didn't try the phone calls and now it's been a couple of months.......
 
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Big Aura

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Oct 13, 2008
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I've had ztella (MQA) version since August 2020. This seemed the ideal procuct as my phone lost the 3.5mm socket and this allowed me to to use the inline mic for calls.

Given lockdown, I've been wfh so probably had no more than 30 hrs usage since then. Back to the office this week, and the Ztella's 3.5mm socket is fritzing. Any movement and it's doesn't work. Ive checked with 2 devices, and checked the headphones on another device. It's definitely where the headphone jack connects to the ztella.

A real shame - basically makes this portable DAC pointless. I've emailed customer support so will report back with what they say. (It took about 5 weeks to arrive originally and they were good about replying to my chaser mail, so fingers crossed)
 

KevP

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Feb 23, 2022
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Unfortunately I just found this out the hard way after purchasing the Ztella to use with 3.5 mm headphones with mic also for calls.
I wrote to the support and they answered me:

We are sorry that iPhone doesn't external USB-DAC for call function.

This is pure BS and close to beeing a scam...this is from their Kick starter page:

db9c97178b99fa0daf2ce8a435ce20ea_original.jpg

1adee1169bfc2a1ae628fdab18c66039_original.jpg

With Ztella, the mic and buttons on your connected headphone are fully supported and passed back to the phone or computer, so there is no need to change headsets for a call or for gaming.

I call this fraudalent.....

Also isn't the apple lightning adapter an external dac too? As all the lightning headphones on the market?

Very upset

I don't think I'll ever get my money back as I actually tried it when I first got it but didn't try the phone calls and now it's been a couple of months.......

DON’T BUY THIS PRODUCT IF YOU HAVE AN IPHONE.
I have just received the Ztella II. As soon as I plugged it into my iPhone 12 Pro Max, through Zorloo’s own adaptor, it was clear this product is not fit for purpose. Take the volume anything higher than two-thirds, using my Empire Ears Bravado Mk II and there is horrendous distortion and then it cuts out completely.
Zorloo’s mindless answer to this was basically it’s an iPhone problem and I should use it at lower volume. Useless in the gym or in the street. Nowhere in any Zorloo information does it warn you of this. They should be ashamed of themselves.
Don’t buy this product if you plan to use it with an iPhone.
 
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Jan 2, 2023
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DON’T BUY THIS PRODUCT IF YOU HAVE AN IPHONE.
I have just received the Ztella II. As soon as I plugged it into my iPhone 12 Pro Max, through Zorloo’s own adaptor, it was clear this product is not fit for purpose. Take the volume anything higher than two-thirds, using my Empire Ears Bravado Mk II and there is horrendous distortion and then it cuts out completely.
Zorloo’s mindless answer to this was basically it’s an iPhone problem and I should use it at lower volume. Useless in the gym or in the street. Nowhere in any Zorloo information does it warn you of this. They should be ashamed of themselves.
Don’t buy this product if you plan to use it with an iPhone.
I had the same problem, bought a new adapter, bought another adapter from another manufacturer, still didn’t fix it. Then I tried a friend’s zorloo and had the same problem. I feel that I have been ripped off, and given how hard What Hifi has been flogging this device I would have expected them to do their due diligence. Don’t buy one.
 

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